Photo: from public sources
One of the major downsides of power saving modes is delayed or skipped notifications
Many people believe that power saving mode helps to extend the life of the battery. In fact, when used constantly, it can have a big impact on your device’s performance. MakeUseOf tells you 4 good reasons why you shouldn’t switch your phone to power saving mode.
Your smartphone may be slower than it should be
Power saving modes don’t just limit background activity – they also reduce the performance of your device to conserve charge. As a result, apps open more slowly, animations can slow down, and overall your phone feels less smooth and responsive.
These slowdowns may not be noticeable for simple tasks like checking messages or surfing the web. But if you’re frequently switching between apps, scrolling through your social media feed or editing photos, you’ll notice the difference.
Gamers will feel it especially strongly. Many mobile games require stable frame rates and fast response times, which suffer when you turn on power-saving mode on Android or low-power mode on iPhone. Even if you’re not gaming, there’s no point in tolerating a constantly slow smartphone for no good reason.
Apps may not work properly
It’s not just performance that is problematic. Many applications depend on background processes for data updates, synchronisation and stable operation. When these processes are limited, applications become unstable.
For example, streaming services may interrupt when switching between apps. Navigation can become irrelevant by not updating your location in real time. Email clients stop automatically receiving new emails until you open an app. And cloud storage synchronisation can be delayed, preventing you from accessing the files you need.
These limitations are useful when you’re low on battery, but in normal life they just get in the way: apps stop working “by default” and you have to manually update, restart, or deal with errors.
Important notifications may be delayed
One of the main disadvantages of power saving modes is delayed or skipped notifications. Apps that need immediacy (messengers, mail, delivery tracking) may not send notifications on time.
If you’re waiting for an important message or business notification – power saving mode may prevent you from getting it on time. Sometimes high-priority notifications do get through, but less frequent ones can be delayed until you open the app. This is especially annoying in WhatsApp or Telegram, where even a second delay throws off the rhythm of communication.
In critical situations – for example, with two-factor authorisation codes or emergency alerts – delay can be a real problem. Sometimes even a few seconds make a difference.
The effect on battery power may be less than you think
While the battery saver mode on Android and the low power mode on the iPhone do help to save charge, in reality the effect is often not as great. Modern smartphones already know how to manage their own power consumption – they adapt the behaviour of apps depending on your usage. A lot of what power saving mode does is already happening in the background.
And sometimes having Power Saving Mode on all the time can even be detrimental: you’re more likely to manually update apps, restart services, experience slowdowns – and end up wasting even more energy. Features like Intelligent Battery Management or Auto Brightness offer real savings without the inconvenience.
Also, don’t forget: batteries wear out over time, and over-restricting power consumption won’t stop the process. Instead of using power saving modes all the time, it’s better to optimise charging and settings.
There are more efficient ways to save charge
If you often switch on power saving mode because of battery issues – it’s best to rethink your approach. Reduce screen brightness, turn off Wi-Fi and geolocation when you don’t need them, and manually limit background apps – all of these will make real savings.
Look at your battery usage stats – this will show you which apps are “eating up” the charge. Sometimes it’s enough to remove a poorly optimised app and replace it with a more efficient one – this will have a greater effect than a constant power saving mode.
Instead of using battery saver mode and low power mode “all the time”, switch it on only in really critical moments – when you’re running out of charge and there’s no charger nearby. Your smartphone is designed for comfortable, fast performance – there’s no point in voluntarily limiting its capabilities unnecessarily.
